William ehrhardt



(No Model.)

W. EHRHARDT;

MAGAZINE FUSE BLOCK.

No. 595,244. Patented De0.7,1897.

mvtmoa WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE...

IVILLIAM EHRI'IARDT, OF UNION HILL, NEIV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO IIIM- SELF, AND \VILLIAM B. TI'IOH AID GEORGE A. CONNOR, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 59 5,244, dated December '7, 1897.

Application filed August 10, 1897. Serial No. 647,715. (lie model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM EHRl-IARDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Union Hill, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magazine Fuse- Blocks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is an improvement in magazine fuse-blocks, the object being to provide a construction wherein the destruction of a fusible strip by the electric current will not damage the adjacent strips or the fuse-block itself and in which by simple mechanism perfect contacts are always maintained and the shift from a destroyed fuse to a perfect one may be made quickly and with facility.

This invention is an improvement upon that described in my Patent No. 568,971, dated October 6, 1896.

The invention consists of the details of construction, which will be described herein after with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved fuse-block. Fig. 2 is a modification of a portion thereof, and Fig. 3 is a detail.

Referring to the drawings by letter, a is a central cylinder or shaft mounted to turn in suitable supports to, beyond one of which it extends and carries a hand-wheel or crosshead a by which it may be rotated. At each end of the shaft and adjacent to the bearings a star-shaped end piece I), of insulating material, is fixed, the arms or projections of which pieces are in corresponding radial planes, and these projections terminate in rounded or cylindrical portions b, between each of which there is a depressed seat for a contact-clip 0. Between the end pieces radial partitions or wings cl extend, the longitudinal V- shaped spaces between them constituting the compartments for the respective fusible strips 0. The fusible strips 6 are secured at each end to the contact-clips o by means of suitable binding-posts c. The contact-clips consist of two parallel plates standing at right angles to the shaft.

The contact devices for maintaining connection with the clips 0 each consist of a pair of spring-plates f, attached to a conductingbasef, to which the main wire is connected, and a rotatable disk g, clamped between the plates f. This disk is provided with a short shaft which projects through slots f in the plates fand against which the ends of a spring h bear. The outer edge of the disk enters the spaces between the clips 0, while the inner edge or portion is clamped between the springplatesf. If the device is a single-pole cut-out, as shown in the drawings, only two of the devicesfg, (be, will be used; but if it is a double-pole cut-out another pair of said devices will be arranged upon the opposite side in the same manner, as shown and as will be fully understood.

The cut-out is shown in normal operative position in Fig. 1, wherein it will be seen that the circuit leads from one of the base-plates f through the plates f, disk g, clips 0, fusible strip 6, and through the clips, disk, and plates at the opposite end of the block. IVhen the fuse is destroyed by an excessive current, the hand-wheel a is turned in either direction. This causes the cylindrical projections 11 to pass under the edge of the disk g, forcing the latter to move backward bodily while at the same time allowing it to roll over the surface of the projection and drop quickly between the plates of the next succeeding clip 0. This operation is repeated as often as necessary until the fusible strips are exhausted, when the block may be reloaded with strips. The cylindrical projections Z) between the clips 0 effectually prevent the jumping of the current from one clip to another while at the same time affording a comparatively easy movement for the block when shifting from one position to the next. The arrangement of the yielding rotating disk between the spring-plates 1 provides for good contact at all times and also facilitates the shifting of the block.

A modified form of this device is shown in Fig. 2, wherein the arm t' takes the place of the plates f, the arm being pivoted at its base and having a motion toward and away from the clips 0, which carry the disk g with it. The form shown in Fig. 1, however, is preferred.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a magazine fuse-block the combination of a rotary cylinder or shaft provided with star-shaped end pieces, the arms of which terminate in rounded formations of insulating material, contact-clips to which the fusible strips are connected located between the said rounded projections and SPIlllg-lllOlllltOd rotatin g disks adapted to make connection with said contacts and to roll over said rounded projections when the block is shifted.

2. In a magazine fuse-block, the combina tion of a plurality of pairs of contact-clips 0 arranged between the arms of a star-shaped carrier and a rolling, spring-mounted, contact-disk adapted to roll out of contact with one pair of clips and into contact with the next and over the intervening arm of the earrier substantially as described.

23. The combination of a disk g, the two springplatesf between which it is clamped, said plates being provided with slots in which the shaft of the disk is located, a spring 7L bearing against the shaftof the disk and a rotating body earryin g a plurality of contactclips separated by projections of insulating material, said clips being adapted to be brought successively into contact with the disk, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM' El iRiIARDT.

\Vitnesses:

HARRY BAILEY, FRANK S. Onnn. 

